This is a list of military rations organized by country and region. A majority of the military rations listed here are present-issue field rations.
Americas
Argentina The Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic's combat ration () was introduced in 2003, consisting of a gray plastic-foil laminate pouch containing a mix of canned and dehydrated foods, plus minimal supplements, for one soldier for one day. All products in the RC are domestically produced, commercially available items.
Each ration contains canned meat, small can of meat spread, crackers, instant soup, cereal bar with fruit, a chocolate bar with nuts or caramels, instant coffee, orange juice powder, sugar, salt, a heating kit with disposable stove and alcohol-based fuel tablets, disposable butane lighter, resealable plastic bag, cooked rice, and a pack of paper tissues.
Menu #1 contains corned beef, meat pâté, crisp water crackers, and instant soup with fideo pasta.
Menu #2 contains roasted beef in gravy, meat pâté, whole wheat crackers, and quick-cooking polenta in cheese sauce.
Brazil The R2 Combat Operation Ration () is the current field & combat ration for the Brazilian Army. It is based on the earlier, but similar, Alternative Combat Ration for 24 Hours () developed by the Brazilian Navy for use by Naval Infantry units. It contains the food and supplemental items needed by 1 soldier for 24 hours. It is to be used in situations where no other type of ration is available. All foods are packed inside 4-ply plastic and aluminum polylaminate retort pouches and are ready to eat without further preparation.
The ration is packed inside a heavy-duty (.25 mm thick) matte green or olive drab polyethylene bag measuring 300 mm wide by 400 mm long. It is printed with the logo of the Brazilian Army, the name of the ration, and menu information. Inside are 5 thinner (.10 mm) semi-transparent plastic bags, one for each meal and one for the accessories. Each bag is printed with meal information and contents. +Bag numberPortugueseEnglishDimensionContent#1DesjejumBreakfast130 mm x 200 mm 40 g instant coffee w/milk & sugar 25 g cereal bar 2 slices of toast (15 g total) 15 g tub of jelly#2Almoço Lunch240 mm x 300 mm 250 g retort pouched main meal 150 g pouch of precooked rice 40 g pouch of cassava pudding 10 g instant coffee 2 x 6 g packets of refined sugar 25 g bar of pressed raw brown sugar or banana or fruit-flavored sugar 45 g of fruit juice powder#3Jantar Dinner 250 g retort pouched main meal 100 g can or pouch of precooked sausages 10 g instant coffee 2 x 6 g packets refined sugar 50 g jelly beans or hard candy 45 g of fruit drink powder.#4Ceia Supper130 mm x 200 mm 40 g of chocolate milk powder 25 g cereal bar 2 slices of toast (15 g total) 15 g tub of jelly#5Acessórios Accessories160 mm x 260 mm Disposable ration heater (round, with air holes inside) 120 g can of alcohol-based fuel (or plastic can with about 6 solid alcohol fuel tablets) 1 box or folder of moisture-resistant matches (20 total) A strip of 5 water purification tablets 55 g envelope of electrolyte replacement beverage powder 6 sheets of multipurpose paper. *
The 250 g main meal pouches differ by menu, two provided for each menu (lunch & dinner) as follows: MenuContent#1 Shredded beef in gravy Spaghetti w/meat sauce#2 Chicken w/vegetables Rice w/black beans & beef#3 Black bean stew Ground beef w/potatoes#4 Dried beef w/pumpkin Chicken w/mixed vegetables & pasta#5 White beans w/sausage Risotto w/meat & vegetables
Brazil also fields the R3 Emergency Operation Ration (), a 12-hour ration to be used in situations where cooked foods cannot be provided for all meals.
The R3 ration is similar to the R2 and uses the same components, but contains less food. The bag is printed with the emblem of the Brazilian Army, "Emergency Ration R3 (12 hours)" () and Menu information. Inside are 3 thin plastic bags: 2 meal bags and 1 accessory packet.
Canada
The Canadian Armed Forces provides each soldier with a complete pre-cooked meal known as the Individual Meal Pack (IMP), packaged inside a heavy-duty folding paper bag. There are 5 breakfast menus, 6 lunch menus, and 6 supper menus. Canadian rations provide generous portions and contain a large number of commercially available items. The main meal is precooked and ready-to-eat, packed in heavy-duty plastic-foil retort pouches boxed with cardboard. Typically, the ration contains a meal item (beans and wiener sausages, scalloped potatoes with ham, smoked salmon fillet, macaroni and cheese, cheese omelette with mushrooms, shepherd's pie, etc.), wet-packed (sliced or mashed) fruit in a boxed retort pouch, and depending on the meal a combination of instant soup or cereal, fruit drink crystals, jam or cheese spread, peanut butter, honey, crackers, bread (bun) compressed into a retort pouch, coffee and tea, sugar, commercially available chocolate bars and hard candy, a long plastic spoon, paper towels and wet wipes. Canada also makes limited use of a Light Meal Pack containing dried meat or cheese, dried fruit, a granola bar, a breakfast cereal square, a chocolate bar, hard candy, hot cocoa mix, tea, and two pouches of instant fruit drink. Canadian ration packs also contain a book of cardboard matches.
Colombia The Military Forces of Colombia issues the Campaign Ration (), a dark olive green plastic bag weighing between 1092 and 1205 grams and providing . Inside are the retort pouch main courses and supplements needed by a soldier for one day. The individual meals, which cater to South American tastes, consist of a breakfast, a lunch, and a main meal (Tamal, envueltos, lentils with chorizo, arvejas con carne, garbanzo beans a la madrileña, arroz atollado, ajiaco con pollo, and sudado con papas y carne). The ration also includes bread products, beverage mixes, candy and accessories. All items except the beverage mixes require no further preparation and can be eaten either hot or cold. The beverage powders must be mixed with hot or cold water before consumption. Each ration also contains raw sugar, a can of condensed milk, sandwich cookies, sweetened and thickened cream spread, hard candy or caramels, peanuts or trail mix or 25 g of roasted almonds, instant coffee, salt, paper towels, a plastic spoon, 2 water purification tablets, and a multivitamin tablet.
Mexico The Secretariat of National Defense issues the "Individual Soldiers Daily Combat Meal" box (). It is packaged in an olive green and black plastic box with the contents printed on the front; the box contains three individual meal packs containing meals providing which are meant to sustain a soldier for one day. Each individual meal package contains two main retort pouches which are meant to be eaten with each other. The first retort pouch usually contains a meat product (such as beef, pork, sausage, fish, ham, seafood, chicken, tuna, bacon, or other meats which are usually mixed with a flavoring sauce and vegetables) the second retort pouch contains a staple food (rice, hominy, noodles, beans, pasta, eggs, or more vegetables). Each meal package also contains salt, spices, condensed milk, cream, butter, chorizo spread, dried fruit or preserves, bread, crackers, sugar, custard, cookies, canned fish, cocoa mix, nuts, chocolate or other candies, vitamins, a large pouch of drinking water, a pouch of Jumex fruit juice or Coca-Cola, biodegradable napkins and utensils, and water purification tablets. Some meal packages do not contain the two main retort pouches and instead contain a single larger pouch with a finished meal such as tamales or steak and eggs but, these are usually only available when close to a base or when the military is operating in an urban area.
United States
The United States Armed Forces' Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) is packaged similarly to the Canadian ration. Each sealed plastic bag contains one entire precooked meal, with a number of supplements and accessories. The original 12 menus have been expanded to 24 and now contain a variety of ethnic and special request items as well. Kosher/Halal and Vegetarian menus are also provided. Each meal bag contains an main course (packaged in a four-layer plastic and foil laminate retort pouch), 8 hardtack crackers, some form of spread (cheese, peanut butter, or jelly), a fruit-based beverage powder, some form of dessert (cake, candy, cookies, or fruit), and an accessory packet containing coffee or tea, creamer, sugar, salt, matches, a plastic spoon, and toilet paper. A chemical heater is packed with every meal.
The First Strike Ration (FSR) is a compact, eat-on-the-move ration to be used for no more than three days during initial periods of highly intense, highly mobile combat assaults. A single FSR (24 hours food) is about 50% of the size and weight of three MREs. Each FSR provides (15% protein, 53% carbohydrates, 34% fat), versus the in three MREs, and has a two-year shelf life when stored at . An FSR is packed in a single trilaminate bag and contains filled pocket sandwiches, a pouch of tuna or chicken, two packets of ERGO high-energy drink mix, two high-energy First Strike Bars, a Soldier Fuel bar, two packets of beef jerky (BBQ or Teriyaki flavored), fortified applesauce, nut and fruit mix, caffeinated gum, and an accessory pack containing a beverage mix, salt, matches, tissues, plastic spoon, and cleansing moist towelettes. The FSR comes in three menus: Italian pocket sandwichHoney BBQ beef pocket sandwichBacon-cheddar pocket sandwichChicken chunks pouchAlbacore tuna pouchPepperoni pocket sandwichTortillas & hot sauceTortillas & mayonnaiseFilled French toast pocket sandwichCinnamon & brown sugar toaster pastryLemon poppy-seed pound cakeJalapeño cheese spread & wheat snack breadPeanut butter and crackersCheese spread and crackersApple cider mixLemon tea mixInstant coffee, non-dairy creamer and sugar Humanitarian daily rations are American rations supplied to civilians and other non-military personnel in humanitarian crises.
The Unitized Group Ration is an American group ration designed to feed groups of personnel. They are divided into four types and can be fully prepared and heated within less than one hour. While most of them are not intended to be eaten in the field, the Unitized Group Ration – Express type can be prepared and eaten in the field.
Europe
Belgium The Belgian Armed Forces issues the French Ration de Combat Individuelle Réchauffable (RCIR) to its troops on deployments and exercises.
Czech Republic After joining NATO, the Army of the Czech Republic developed a combat ration known as the BDP ().
The BDP comes in two versions, type I and II, each holding two ready-to-eat main courses packed in large foil "cans" (beef roast with rice, pork goulash with potato, spicy risotto, pork with carrots and vegetables, etc.), a small plastic cup of lunch meat spread, cheese spread, hard bread, cookies, jam, instant coffee, tea bags, fruit-flavored multivitamin drink tablets, vitamin C enriched fruit drink powder, a chocolate bar, sugar, salt, chewing gum, wet napkins, paper towels, a plastic bag, and a menu and instruction sheet.
A modified version of the BDP known as the KDP () is also used. This contains the same items as the BDP, but adds an aluminium cup, plastic utensils, a folding stove with fuel tablets and matches, and soap.
Denmark
Danish Defence developed a modern field ration inspired by Norwegian and American rations. It consist of Drytech freeze-dried main meals and several additional items such as dried fruits and nuts, energy bars, hard biscuits, meat pâté, etc.
Finland